Squat is one of the best exercises out there, it build strength and mass, it burns fat and works the whole body. But if not performed properly it can be dangerous, counterproductive and uneffective, leading to serious injuries or minimal results. We observe people a lot at the gym (not like creepers), and we see that most of them make enormous mistakes when performing squats. So, we decided to roundup for you guys 10 common Squat mistakes you need to avoid in order to get all the efficiency of the exercise and see gains:
1. Rushing under the rack. No one is pressuring you, take your time to properly set up the bar. When starting, duck underneath the bar and let it “sit” on your traps , squeezing your shoulder blades. Don’t use your neck. Then unrack the weight with both of your feet right under the bar, instead of putting one leg in front of the other.
2. Doing partial squats. You have to go as low as you can, don’t stop halfway. Your hips need to go lower than your knees. So stop bragging about your 300 pound squat if all you do is slightly bend your knees.
3. Leaning your knees forward. This one of the most common mistakes we see people do. Your knees need to stay behind your tip toes, in order to perform the squat properly.
4. Looking down at your feet. If you look down, you’ll obviously bend your neck, and this might result in some pinched nerves or compressed discs. So, look straight and keep your spine natural.
5. Checking your form in the mirrors aside of you. This way, you are going to twist your neck. Again, just look straight, look at yourself in the mirror right in front of you.
6. Loading too much weight. You should use a weight which allows you to do a full squat. If your hips don’t go lower than your knees, it means the bar is too heavy.
7. Caving your knees inward. Your knees and thighs need to be aligned throughout the whole movement. Help yourself by slightly rotating your feet outward.
8. Abusing the Smith Machine. Smith Machines aren’t great for building mass and strength. They don’t require your whole body to work, meaning not all your muscles are being activated, resulting in not so great results. Moreover, it can lead to back injuries more than a full real squat.
9. Distractions (phone, chatting etc etc). Dsitractions can lead to wrong movements, uneven loads and serious injuries. Concentrate.
10. Performing the exercise too quickly. In order to maintain the proper form, perform it slowly and breath.
Remember, technique comes first than the amount of weight you’re going to use. Be responsible. Avoid the possibility of injuries. You control that.
